A Ugandan man who narrowly avoided being sent to fight in the Russia–Ukraine war has revealed how promises of ordinary work abroad turned into forced military conscription.
Richard Akantorana, a 43-year-old father of two, says he left Uganda believing he was travelling to Russia for civilian employment, only to find himself coerced into joining the Russian army shortly after arrival.
In a recorded account, Akantorana described a life of hardship back home, surviving on casual jobs such as supermarket cleaning and boda boda riding, earning about Shs50,000 a month. Struggling to provide for his family, he said he was easily convinced by a recruiter who offered what sounded like stable work in supermarkets, factories or airport security.
To raise travel funds, Akantorana took a loan from a savings cooperative, convinced the opportunity would change his family’s fortunes. He insists there was never any mention of military service.
The reality, he said, only became clear after he reached Russia, when he and others were bluntly informed that there were no civilian jobs and that they would instead be enlisted into the army. When they refused, armed men allegedly threatened them and forced them to sign military documents.
Akantorana said he was then transported to a secluded forest area and detained in what he was told was an underground military facility. He described the conditions as unbearable, saying they slept on the ground amid bed bugs and survived on biscuits and water. As fears grew that he would soon be sent to the battlefield, he decided to flee.
He escaped and ran until he encountered armed troops, fearing the worst. Instead, the soldiers identified themselves as Ukrainian forces and assured him he was safe. Reports indicate he was intercepted by soldiers from Ukraine’s 63rd Mechanised Brigade near Lyman in the Donetsk region.
Now out of immediate danger, Akantorana warned others considering similar offers. He says promises of lucrative jobs in Russia can be deceptive and may end in forced military service.
